DX LISTENING DIGEST 5-049, March 20, 2005
Incorporating REVIEW OF INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTING
edited by Glenn Hauser, http://www.worldofradio.com
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For restrixions and searchable 2005 contents archive see
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NOTE: If you are a regular reader of DXLD, and a source of DX news but
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obligated to do so. Thanks, Glenn
NEXT AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1267:
Mon 0330 WOR WRMI 7385
Mon 0400 WOR WBCQ 9330-CLSB
Mon 0430 WOR WSUI Iowa City IA 910 [1266]
Mon 0530 WOR WBCQ 7415
Mon 0900 WOR R. Lavalamp
Mon 1000 WOR WRMI 9955
Mon 1700 WOR WBCQ after hours
Tue 0700 WOR WPKN Bridgeport CT 89.5
Tue 1700 WOR WBCQ after hours
Wed 1030 WOR WWCR 9985
Wed 1700 WOR WBCQ after hours
MORE info including audio links: http://worldofradio.com/radioskd.html
WRN ON DEMAND:
http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24
OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO [also for CONTINENT OF MEDIA, MUNDO RADIAL]
WORLD OF RADIO 1267 (high version):
(stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1267h.ram
(download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1267h.rm
WORLD OF RADIO 1267 (low version):
(stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1267.ram
(download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1267.rm
(summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1267.html
WORLD OF RADIO 1267 in the true shortwave sound of 7415:
(stream) http://www.piratearchive.com/media/worldofradio_03-16-05.m3u
(d`load) http://www.piratearchive.com/media/worldofradio_03-16-05.mp3
DX/SWL/MEDIA PROGRAMS March 20: http://worldofradio.com/dxpgms.html
** BANGLADESH. BANGLADESH BETAR INDEPENDENCE DAY SPECIAL
Bangladesh Betar going to broadcast a special show on the occasion of
its Independence day on March 26, 2005. Here the details : English:
UT 1815~1900 on 7185 kHz for Europe
UT 1230~1300 on 7185 kHz for S and SE Asia.
Program Details :
01. Intro: Highlighting the struggle for the Independence and the
glorious war of Liberation in 1971.
02. Song : Swadhinata Tumi Swadhinata (Bengali); Artist: Chorus;
Lyric: Regaul Karim (a special composed song on our independence
with the gist in English)
03. Talk: The significance on independence day in our national life
by Mr. Sadeq khan.
04. Song: Purbo Digonte surjo Uthechhe (Bengali); Artist Chorus;
Lyric: Gobindo Haldar.
05. Recitation: Recitation from a poem on our Independence by:
Ashraful Alam (gist in English will be followed)
06. Specially composed songs on our Independence and the Liberation
war with the themes in English.
Program Compiler : Prof Abu Taher Majumdar
Narrator : a) Rahbar Khan b) Laily Mawla
Producer : Md. Akramul Islam
Enjoy Bangladesh Betar and Collect your QSL.
Bangladesh Betar A05 External Service from 27 March 2005 --- No major
Change with the B04 schedules. This is the very first time Bangladesh
Betar announce that it's now on a single frequency. (7185 kHz)
Here the Details :
English : UTC 1815 - 1900 (EU), UTC 1230 - 1300 (S & SE Asia)
Voice Of Islam (English): 1745 - 1815 (EU)
Bangla : UTC 1630 ~ 1730 (ME), UTC 1915 - 2000 (EU)
Nepali : UTC 1315 - 1345 (Nepal)
Hindi : UTC 1515 - 1545 (India)
Arabic : UTC 1600 - 1630 (ME)
Urdu : UTC 1400 - 1430 (Pakistan) Greetings from (Ashik Eqbal
Tokon, Rajshahi, Bangladesh, March 19, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** BHUTAN. TV AFFECTS SOCIAL AND CULTURAL VALUES
Posted on Saturday, March 19 @ 17:20:11 CST BST
19 March 2005- The decision to slash about a dozen TV channels was
based on general public concerns, reports from a media impact study,
and in preparation for the Media Act which would specify putting
limits to channels, according to regulating authorities. . .
http://www.kuenselonline.com/article.php?sid=5193&PHPSESSID=a78f4308ba19d2b3ca90dc609887a0d7
(via gh, DXLD)
** BHUTAN. 6035.1, Bhutan BS, March 18th, 0100, Dzongkha, signing on,
national anthem, Buddhist monk singing, news (presumed); O=3-4 - good
signal with S=7-9; audible until fade out at around 0200.
Hello everywhere, together with two another DX-friends (Thomas Berner
& Rudolf Schneeberger) I spent a fantastic DX-week in Vorupør at the
west coast of Jutland [Denmark] from March 12th to March 19th. Since
some time we had the intention to try out our antenna technology at a
more northern location. The idea was, to rent a Danish holiday-house
directly at the coast. The choice of this cottage was a hit: A
completely free standing house, without any neighbours, 800m from the
North Sea beach, situated in a hilly dune landscape. A DXer's dream!
[. . .] We had a wonderful DX-week in Denmark and fantastic
conditions! The explanation could be as follows: Excellent antennas on
the right place at the right time! 300m antenna-wire directly at the
coast! (Michael Schnitzer, et al., Denmark, HCDX via DXLD)
** BURKINA FASO. 5030, Radio Burkina, 0610, programa consistente en
música vernácula y comentarios en francés, locutor y locutora (Marzo
20). (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CANADA. Roll tape --- Stuart McLean, a 30-year veteran of CBC Radio
who draws 700,000 listeners across Canada each weekend, says his first
try in front of the microphone years ago was a disaster. . .
http://www.chroniclejournal.com/story.shtml?id=26313
(The Chronicle-Journal, Sat, 19 Mar 2005 1:20 PM PST via Sheldon
Harvey, DXLD) I.e. Vinyl Café host
** CANADA [non]. Re SCTV: Glenn, SCTV sched via the TV Land Web site.
12:00 AM Eastern for 2 hours (at least for Mar 26 and Apr 02).
http://tinyurl.com/5zko4
Regards, (David Zantow, Janesville, WI, DX LISENING DIGEST) Viz.:
Please note: All times listed in the "By Show" schedules are
Eastern/Pacific. [ergo 0500-0700 UT in first feed, 0800-1000 UT in
second feed; should they extend further weeks at ``same`` time, make
those one UT hour earlier whilst AZ fends for itself --- gh]
Mar 26 2005 12:00AM 077 - Kanadian Korner 1
Mar 26 2005 12:30AM 083 - The Godfather, Part 1 of 2
Mar 26 2005 1:00AM 084 - The Godfather, Part 2 of 2
Mar 26 2005 1:30AM 050 - Meet the Pawnbroker with Johnny LaRue
Apr 2 2005 12:00AM 068 - Cooking with Marcello: Vatican
Apr 2 2005 12:30AM 098 - 12 Angry Men, Part 1 of 2
Apr 2 2005 1:00AM 099 - Indecent Exposure Part 6: Boardroom, Part 2
Apr 2 2005 1:30AM 114 - Farm Film Celebrity Blow-up w/Neil Sedaka
Here`s the TV Tome page on SCTV; watch out for pop-ups:
http://www.tvtome.com/tvtome/servlet/ShowMainServlet/showid-5171/
Which also leads to a list of 58 episodes:
http://www.tvtome.com/tvtome/servlet/EpisodeGuideServlet/showid-5171/Second_City_TV/
(Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC [non]. Relay of Radio Centrafrique
(supposedly from Issoudun, France as previously reported) 1700 to 2300
UT on 9590. Booming in here this past week at S20 for last couple of
hours or so with African type music, continuous with no announcements.
On 17 March sounded like election results being read earlier in the
transmission (Bernie O'Shea, Ottawa, Ontario, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CHILE. I am glad for this sole QSL: Radio Parinacota, Putre 6010.
Email. V/s Tomislav Simunovic Gran, Director (Jan Edh, Sweden, SW
Bulletin March 20, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX
LISTENING DIGEST)
** CHINA [and non]. Re 5-048, UK: ``While the BBC steadily abandons
and discards the public service broadcasting principles it
historically created, perfected and nurtured, CRI seems to -- more
and more -- be embracing those very principles.``
Which public service broadcasting principles is CRI embracing???
It is the propaganda arm of the Chinese Communist Party. The Party
restricts its citizens` access to foreign media by jamming and
blocking internet sites. CRI journalists are restricted in what they
are able to report.
Demonstrations against the party elite, in particular corruption by
local officials, are becoming more widespread. The State Constitution
allows people to be arrested for vaguely worded actions against the
state and denies them a fair trial. It routinely uses torture. Check
the Amnesty International or Human Rights Watch sites for many
examples. There will doubtless be many more that are unreported. You
will not hear about this on CRI. It does not serve the public, it
serves the Party.
The BBC on the other hand will report on criticism of UK government
policies and UK breaches of human rights, for example in the treatment
of prisoners in Iraq.
As to the Rumsfeldesque "Old Europe makes way for New Asia"
comparison, well, I prefer to live in an Old European culture which
respects human rights and to have a domestic and international public
service broadcaster which is independent of any government party line
(Mike Barraclough, UK, March 20, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Yeah, it is a bit difficult for me too to see CRI as a public service
broadcaster. Perhaps, John, you could let us know how you define a
public service broadcaster, and how this relates to CRI. For my money,
I'll take a small amount of BBCWS over a large amount of CRI any day.
I think that the former is in a league of its own -- nobody even comes
near to its comprehensive and intensive programming. Nobody. Perhaps
Radio National [Australia] would be its nearest competitor, but they
would come distant second.
Other good shortwave choices, though, would include Radio Netherlands,
RFI, and Radio Sweden (who I think are under-appreciated). Perhaps it
is time to consider good alternatives to the BBCWS for those who
prefer shortwave over other methods of delivery.
I think that it is only a matter of time before the Beeb drops SW to
NAm completely. Yes, we can and should do what we can to stop and/or
reverse this, as miracles do happen. But I think our fate has been
sealed for good. Given past experience, I can't see the BBCWS folks
backing down on a decision like this. Nor can I see them stopping
here. (But I will). (Peter Bowen, Swprograms mailing list via DXLD)
Er, they dropped SW to NAm completely already, if you mean USA &
Canada. We`ve been listening to offbeam broadcasts for Mexico, CAm,
Caribbean, SAm, etc. (gh, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Hello Mike, To be fair, please re-read what I said. I used the words
"more and more". Certainly, I don't think that CRI's commitment to
public service broadcasting principles with respect to the way it
reports the news is at or near the BBC's level at this point. But if
one looks at where CRI and its predecessors were just a short time ago
and where CRI is now, there is a qualitative and quantitative
improvement. While I agree that CRI falls woefully short on reporting
on problems within the country, I've observed that there are an
increasing number of reports and features on CRI that do point out
problems like pollution, poverty and joblessness in the cities,
disagreements among domestic experts, and unrest among some social
groups and classes. I think that this can be said to a trend, but we
can disagree on that.
Another aspect of those public service broadcasting principles,
however, is a desire to serve as many audiences and audience segments
as possible. By their respective recent actions in this regard, CRI is
demonstrating a far greater commitment to that effort than the BBC has
of late. The BBC makes much of its desire to serve elites -- "opinion
formers" is the word their publicity uses, I believe. And its service
approach appears to reflect that view. Shortwave listeners -- even
those who have been a loyal component of the Beeb's audience for
decades -- are deemed expendable. "If you want us, move -- but we
couldn't care less one way or the other because the fact that you use
shortwave must mean that you are not an 'opinion former'". Of course,
they'll say it much nicer than that -- but listen to Write On next
weekend and tell me you don't hear echoes of what I just said in their
replies to listener complaints. "We're right and you're wrong" will be
the subtext "and we're not changing course."
OTOH, CRI seems to believe that any segment of the target population
has the capacity to either be or become an "opinion former". So its
approach is to use all the distribution methods at its service. CRI's
hours on shortwave to NA and everywhere else is up, as is its
internet, satellite and local placement efforts. Is the quality of its
programming as high as the BBC's? No, not close. But it is improving.
And what good is the quality of your programming if people can't
access it conveniently or in the manner they are most likely and
easily to use?
This is not a matter of money. The WS is swimming in it and its budget
has gone up annually by huge amounts of late. It's a matter of
choices. On that score, the BBC can be criticized and it should be
(John Figliozzi, dxldyg via DXLD) Much more discussion under UK below
** COLOMBIA. 5910, Marfil Stereo 88.8, 0636-0740. Bastante buenas
condiciones de escucha de esta emisora hoy, teniendo en cuenta que la
escucha fue realizada en mi piso en el centro de la ciudad de Lugo, en
un bloque de viviendas, en donde las condiciones no suelen ser muy
buenas. Programa consistente en música y canciones colombianas y
canciones románticas de siempre, anuncios comerciales e identifcación:
"Vendemos todo tipo de maquinaria agrícola", "Marfil Stereo 88.8 FM",
"llegamos a cualquier rincón de nuestro amado país, somos Colombia",
locutor y locutora. 24322 variando a 34333. (Marzo 20). (Manuel
Méndez, Lugo, Spain, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** DJIBOUTI. Djibouti heard on 4780 kHz from 1748 UT tune-in to close
at 2002 UT this evening (Sat 19 March). Fair strength but also
suffering the interference Wolfgang mentioned below. Better on USB but
still only SIO 322. Distinctive music / songs typical of the Horn of
Africa. Plus what sounded like Kor`anic verses at 1957 and
instrumental music (anthem) before close at 2002 (Alan Pennington, AOR
7030+ / longwire, Caversham, UK, BDXC-UK via DXLD)
Yep, noted here 19 Mar at around 1620. Their signal was gradually
increasing and at s-off around 2000 was pushing nicely through the
annoying ute noise. I found it pretty hard to get an id, although I
did try at the TOH's. The past months I've been doing monitoring on
4780 and noted that the annoying digital-like ute is not continuous,
it used to have silent periods at times. There is also the English
"letters/numbers lady" on 4780 but not very often. Nice to have
Djibouti back on SW (Jari Savolainen, Finland, dxing.info via DXLD)
Hello DXers, checking Djibouti on 4780 around 1800 I could hear horn
of Africa music followed by a guy giving a speech starting in the
Islamic way "Besm Allah Alrahmaan Alraheem... alsalam alykom"; then he
kept on shouting YA ALLAH..." some sort of a prayer; we Muslims call
it Du'aa. It's 1820 and he's still preaching with musical breaks in
between, language spoken is either Afar or Somali, not Arabic. The
same strange ute noted by Wolfie in Southern Germany is causing severe
QRM to the station even here in Cairo but still I'll keep monitoring
to try and get an ID. Using Drake R8B with 12.5 long wire, SYNC + LSB
to get over the ute. All the best guys (Tarek Zeidan, Cairo, Egypt,
March 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** EQUATORIAL GUINEA. 5005, R Nacional de Guinea Ecuatorial, March
16th, 2035, Spanish, Afro pop, ID; O=4-5 - excellent signal with
S=9+10; station also observed next day in French at 1930 (Michael
Schnitzer, et al., Denmark, HCDX via DXLD) See BHUTAN
Also strong here tonight (from 2005 tune-in Mar 19) is R Bata, on 5005
in Spanish with "Radio Bata" IDs (Alan Pennington, AOR 7030+ /
longwire, Caversham, UK, BDXC-UK via DXLD)
** EUROPE. ANALYSIS: EUROPEAN REGULATORS TO COMBAT HATE BROADCASTS |
Text of editorial analysis by BBC Monitoring Media Services on 17
March
National broadcasting regulators meeting in Brussels on 17 March
agreed to launch a pan-European drive to combat incitement to hatred
in broadcasts.
At the meeting, convened by EU Information Society and Media
Commissioner Viviane Reding, the regulators decided to step up
information exchange and cooperation "to ensure that EU rules which
guarantee freedom of the media on the one hand and prohibit
broadcasts which contain an incitement to hatred on the other hand,
are enforced swiftly, effectively and consistently," said an EU press
release.
"The case of [Lebanese pro-Hezbollah satellite TV channel] Al-Manar
and, more recently, [Iranian state-run] Sahar 1 channels, prohibited
by the French authorities for inciting racial hatred, illustrates the
need to act in concert to combat racial and religious hatred both in
Europe and in other parts of the world," the press release added.
The broadcasting regulators called on the European Commission to take
this issue into account when proposing a modernization of the EU's
Television without Frontiers Directive later this year.
Welcoming the agreement, Commissioner Reding underlined the
principles governing the common EU approach, saying: "The right to
freedom of speech and freedom to information, enshrined in the EU
Charter of Fundamental Rights, and now also entrenched in the EU
Constitution, is a cornerstone of a democratic and pluralist society,
especially in the audiovisual field. However, the respect of human
dignity is a European value of equal importance. We therefore cannot
tolerate racist audiovisual content in Europe."
Pooling information
To ensure that EU rules are applied effectively, regulators from the
25 EU member states, the candidate countries and the countries of the
European Economic Area agreed to exchange information, via national
contact points on which channels are authorized in their respective
jurisdictions.
This could lead, in the medium term, to linking up their channel
authorization databases or even setting up a central database, as
well as a restricted internet forum in which to discuss problematic
cases.
Incitement to hatred on grounds of race, sex, religion or nationality
is prohibited by EU law, notably Article 22a of the Television
without Frontiers Directive of 1989.
In accordance with the principle of subsidiarity, it is up to EU
member states to ensure that this rule is respected. Member states
and the competent regulatory authorities are responsible for channels
under their jurisdiction, which includes TV channels from third
countries if they use either a frequency, satellite capacity or an
uplink which is under the control of that member state.
Most of the third-country programmes use satellite capacities
provided either by Eutelsat or Astra, located in France and
Luxembourg respectively. This means that those two countries have
jurisdiction over a large number of third-country programmes received
in Europe.
Close cooperation among national regulatory authorities and the
Commission is essential to ensure that the directive is implemented
correctly to combat hate broadcasts, the EU press release concluded.
"The Commission has always attached great importance to the work of
national broadcasting authorities and I am sure that we can find
effective ways of further deepening our cooperation", added
Commissioner Reding.
Advances in technology, meanwhile, mean that modernizing the
Television without Frontiers Directive has become a high priority.
The fact that similar audiovisual content inciting hatred is freely
available via the internet means that rules which currently apply
only to broadcasters cannot really be effective. Source: BBC
Monitoring research 17 Mar 05 (via DXLD)
** GERMANY [and non]. DEUTSCHE WELLE A-05 SCHEDULE
Albanian
0530-0545 EU 1215fl 106000ti 199360be 7190we 88600pr 9750na
0700-0705 EU 106000ti 88600pr
0800-0805 EU 106000ti 88600pr
0900-0905 EU 106000ti 88600pr
1000-1005 EU 106000ti 88600pr
1100-1130 EU 106000ti 11905we 810sk 88600pr 9770we
1200-1205 EU 106000ti 88600pr
1300-1305 EU 106000ti 88600pr
1500-1530 EU 106000ti 17820si 810sk 88600pr 9605we
Amharic
1400-1450 AF 11810ki 15410tr
Arabic
0400-0430 ME 7225si 9530ki 9750we
0430-0500 AF 6130si 7225we
1800-2000 ME 11690we 13790si 17860ki
2000-2100 ME 13790si 9495na 9495we 9620si
2000-2130 EU 199360be
2100-2130 AF 1350er
2100-2200 AF 9495na 9495we 9620si
Bengali
0100-0200 AS 11760tr 199360be* 9505tr
Bosnian
0600-0615 EU 199360be 7190we 88600pr 9750na
1200-1230 EU 7170we 9770we
1600-1615 EU 15245si 7185we
Bulgarian
0400-0430 EU 5960na 95700so
0500-0530 EU 199360be 7180na 95700so
0600-0605 EU 95700so
0700-0705 EU 95700so
0800-0805 EU 95700so
0900-0905 EU 95700so
0930-1000 EU 11970na 95700so
1000-1005 EU 95700so
1100-1105 EU 95700so
1130-1200 EU 95700so 9770we
Chinese
1030-1055 AS 15190kr 15490tr 17820tr 7370vl
1300-1350 AS 15355tr 15445kr 17660tr 199360be*
2300-2350 AS 15515vl 199360be* 6175dh 9685ir
Croatian
0800-0815 EU 7190we
1230-1300 EU 7170we
1400-1415 EU 7170we
Dari
0830-0850 ME 15525ka 17705tr 199360be*
1330-1400 ME 13575ka 15595we
English
0000-0100 AS 1548tr 199360be* 7130tr 9505tr 9825we
0400-0500 AF 11945we 15445tr 7170ki 96000ki 9963ki
0500-0600 AF 15410tv 17800dh 96000ki 9630si 9700ki
0600-0630 EU 106000ti 88500bu
0600-0700 AF 15275we 17860ki 7170si 96000ki
0600-1000 AF 21675tr/DRM
0600-1000 EU 6140ju
0700-0800 EU 199360be
0800-1000 AF 96000ki
0900-1000 EU 199360be
1100-1200 AF 96000ki
1300-1600 EU 6140ju
1600-1700 AS 1548tr 17595we 6170tr 7225tr 96000ki*
1900-2000 AF 13780we 15520we 199360be* 96000ki
2000-2100 AF 11865we 13780we 15205we 7130ki 96000ki
2100-2200 AF 11865ki 15205ki 9440we 96000ki
2200-2230 NAM 9800sa/DRM
2200-2300 AS 7115aa 9720na
2300-2400 AS 15135tc 5955tr 96000ki* 9890ki
Farsi
1730-1930 ME 13800we 199360be* 7375kr
1800-1930 ME 17820ki
French
1200-1300 AF 11795ki 15275we 15410ki
1200-1300 AF 17650si 17770we 199360be* 21665ki 96000ki
1600-1700 AF 17715we 17800si 21820we 21840ki
1700-1800 AF 15215we 17595si 17820we 21840ki 96000ki 9735ki
German
0000-0200 11865si 11955mn 12040ki 6075we 6075si 6100sa
9545we 96000ki 9640ki
0200-0300 1188st 693mo 96000ki
0200-0400 6075we 6075si 6100sa 9735mn
0300-0330 88500bu 95700so
0400-0600 1188st 12025ki 6075we 6075si 693mo 9735mn
0500-0533 106000ti 88600pr
0500-0600 88500bu
0555-0600 13780we 9545na
0600-0630 6075si
0600-0800 1188st 13780we 6075we 693mo 9545na 9735we
0700-0800 96000ki
0800-1000 1188st 13780we 17715tr 6075we 693mo 9545na
1000-1200 1188st 13780we 17635tr 17845aa 21840na 6075we 693mo
7430pe 9545na 9900ir
1200-1400 1188st 13780we 17635tr 17820na 17845aa 6075we 693mo
7430pe 9545na 9900ir
1300-1400 88500bu 96000ki
1400-1430 1548tr
1400-1500 96000ki
1400-1600 13780we 15275we 15275na 17860ki 6075we 9545na 9655tr
1600-1800 13780we 15275we 15275na 17860ki 6075we 9545na 9655tr
1700-1800 106000ti 1548tr 88600pr 95700so
1800-1900 95700so 96000ki
1800-2000 11795na 15275tr 6075we 7185ki 9545si 9545na 9735we
2000-2200 11795we 1188st 15275ki 6075we 693mo 7185ki 9545si
9545na 9735we
2200-2300 96000ki
2200-2400 11690sa 11840ki 11865si 15275ki 15410mn 6075we 6075si
7105we 9545we
Hausa
0630-0700 AF 15470we 199360be* 9885si
1300-1350 AF 15410ki 17770we 17800ki 21665ki
1800-1900 AF 11605we 11965ki 15390we
Hindi
1515-1600 AS 1548tr 17595we 199360be* 6180tr 7225tr
Indonesian
1200-1250 AS 11770tr 15105tr 17800dh
2200-2250 AS 11965ta 199360be* 6000tr 9670tr
Macedonian
0630-0700 EU 7190we 810sk
0900-0930 EU 810sk 9770we
1300-1330 EU 7170we
Pashto
0800-0830 ME 15525ka 17705tr 199360be*
1400-1430 ME 13575ka 15595we 199360be*
Polish
1630-1659 EU 15595si
Portuguese
0500-0545 AF 15520we 9565ki
Romanes
1030-1100 EU (su) 15275na 17765we
Romanian
0700-0705 EU 88500bu
0900-0905 EU 88500bu
1000-1200 EU 11970na 88500bu
1100-1200 EU 199360be
1300-1305 EU 88500bu
Russian
0000-0100 Rus 11895vl 13690tr 15140pe 7285we
0100-0200 Rus 13720tr 7105we
0200-0300 Rus 17800tr 199360be*
0300-0400 Rus 1188st 17800tr 693mo 7105we
0400-0430 EU 199360be
0400-0530 Rus 7155we 9545we
0500-0530 Rus 999gr
1400-1500 Rus 1188st 11915we 13840we 15425we 693mo
1500-1600 Rus 1188st 11915we 15425we 693mo 9715we 999gr
1600-1800 Rus 1188st 11915we 15425we 693mo 9715we
1800-1900 Rus 1188st 5955na 693mo 9715we 9885tr 999gr
1900-2000 Rus 1188st 5955na 693mo 9715we 9885tr
Sanskrit
1545-1558 AS 1548tr 17595we 199360be* 6180tr 7225tr
Serbian
0615-0630 EU 199360be 7190we 88600pr 9750na
0930-1000 EU 7190we 810sk 88600pr 9770we
1330-1400 EU 7170we 88600pr 9770na
2100-2115 EU 1458fl 6130we
Swahili
0300-0400 AF 15545tr 199360be* 6180ki 9475we 9535na 96000ki
1000-1050 AF 13790ki 15410ki 21780we 9565ki
1000-1100 AF 199360be* 96000ki
1500-1600 AF 11665ki 21820we 21840we 96000ki 9735ki
Turkish
0530-0600 EU 11865we 15215we
1030-1100 EU (mo-fr) 15275na 17765we
1430-1500 EU 13740na 17820we
Ukrainian
0430-0500 EU 199360be 5910we 7345we 999gr
Urdu
1430-1515 AS 15470tr 1548tr 17595we 199360be*
1700-1730 AS 13755tr 15360we 199360be*
* = Broadcast directed to local area rather than indicated target
Relays:
aa = Alma Ata
be = Berlin
bu = Bucharest
dh = Dhabayya
er = Erevan
fl = Fllaka
gr = Grigoriopo
ir = Irkutsk
ju = Juelich
ka = Krasnodar
ki = Kigali
kr = Kranji
mn = Montsinery
mo = Moscow
na = Nauen
pe = Petropavlovsk
pr = Prstina
sa = Sackville
si = Sines
sk = Skopje
so = Sofia
st = St. Petersburg
ta = Taiwan
tc = Tchita
ti = Tirana
tr = Trincomale
tv = Talata Vol
vl = Vladivostok
we = Wertachtal (via Alokesh Gupta in dxldyg mail list re-
arranged by Alan Roe, WDXC via DXLD)
** GREENLAND. 3815U, March 12, 2110, a long part with modern jazz
before "The speaking clock``. QSA 3-4 (Jan Edh, Sweden, SW Bulletin
March 20, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST)
3815 USB, Grønlands Radio, March 15th, 2150, Greenlandic / Danish, the
Danish program started at 2200, interval signal, local news, Nuuk
mentioned; O=3. What do you want more? Some audio-examples can be
found in the audio-clip section of my website:
http://home.arcor.de/mschnitzer/
(Michael Schnitzer, et al., Denmark, HCDX via DXLD) See BHUTAN
** ICELAND. 1530, AFN Keflavik, March 18th, 0830 (!), country music,
ID; O=4 - excellent signal of this 250 watts station; fade out at
around 0845 (Michael Schnitzer, et al., Denmark, HCDX via DXLD) See
BHUTAN
** ISRAEL. Kol Israel Schedule – http://israelradio.org now has the
Summer 2005 Kol Israel shortwave schedule posted.
I have the English / Hebrew frequencies listed below. The UTs are
listed, are based upon Israel Summer Time. Israel changes to Summer
Time on April 1, and changes back to Winter Time on October 9 (2300
October 8, in UTC).
From: http://israelradio.org/sw.htm
"From April 1 [Moshe Oren's schedule says from March 27] to October 8,
2005 [Moshe's schedule says Oct 7] ... Subject to the IBA governing
plenum deciding to continue shortwave transmission after June 30,
2005."
[So, if the Summer schedule starts March 27, all times are one hour
later UTC, from March 27, until the clock change on April 1. I'm
waiting for clarification.]
[Later:] To follow up regarding my previous concern, there is now
updated verbiage on: http://israelradio.org/sw.htm
"FROM MARCH 27 to OCTOBER 8, 2005* but between March 27 and March 31
all times will be one hour later than shown as winter (standard) time
will still be in force in Israel." "*Subject to the IBA governing
plenum deciding to continue shortwave transmission after June 30,
2005"
English
0330-0345 UT
Europe/North America 11605 (May to August),
7545 (April, September, October), 9345
Australasia and S. America 17600
0930-0945 UT
Europe/North America 15640 17535
1730-1745 UT
Europe/North America 15640 9345
1900-1925 UT
Europe/North America 15640 11605; Africa 15615
============
Hebrew / Reshet Bet
0400-0500 UT 9345
0500-0930 UT 17535
1030-1400 UT 17535
2000-2100 UT 15640
2100-2300 UT 11585
2300-0330 UT 9345
(via Doni Rosenzweig, March 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** KERGUELEN. I.C.P.O. (Islands, Castles & Portable Operations)
Kerguelen Update - The team expects to be operational here from the
20th of March through the 1st of April. Callsign is FT5XO.
A team of twelve operators representing seven nations will be
participating in this month long trip. Operators are AG9A, HB9ASZ,
GI0NWG, M0DXR, N6MZ, N0TT, SP5XVY, VE3EJ, VK6DXI, W3WL, W7EW and
9V1YC. All team members are experienced contesters or DXpeditioners,
and 7 out of the 12 are veterans of at least one previous Antarctic
regional DXpedition.
In order to maximize band openings we will have the ability to run up
to 7 stations at once. Operations will take place on all bands from
160m to 6m using CW, SSB and RTTY. There will also be operation on
PSK-31 and EME.
The team has two "Battle Creek Special" verticals for 40, 80 and 160m,
single 1/4 wave verticals each for 30m and 40m, plus a full set of
monoband vertical dipoles for 20m and up. All 1/4 wave verticals and
vertical dipoles were constructed and supplied in South Africa by
ZS4TX.
Just like the 2002 DXpedition to South Georgia and South Sandwich
there will be no websites, pilots, or on-line logs. We feel that a DX
QSO made by the hard work of knowing propagation, listening, skillful
calling and paying attention to the DX station's pattern is more
meaningful and fun. We have purposefully advanced minimal publicity
about our DXpedition in the spirit of putting the operator instead of
the technology back into the forefront of the DX chase.
Logistical support in South Africa was provided by ZS5BBO, ZS5NK,
ZS5VE, ZS5GMW, ZS5HV, ZS5IAN and the members of the H.A.R.C. Equipment
and logistic arrangements in New Zealand were provided by the crew of
The Braveheart, and ZL2BSJ.
The QSL manager for this DXpedition is Garry, VE3XN. Many thanks in
advance for any extra contributions received with your QSL envelopes
(via Dave Raycroft, ODXA via DXLD)
FT5X, KERGUELEN ISLAND. The Microlite Penguins DXpedition Team is now
active as about 0630z March 20th. The following was a press release
sent out by George, K5TR, dated Sunday, March 20th:
"Port Jeanne D'Arc, Kerguelen --- The Microlite Penguins DXpedition
Team will be QRV today on the Kerguelen Islands, located in the sub-
Antarctic region of the Indian Ocean. The New Zealand based R/V
Braveheart, used during ZL9CI, VP8THU, VP8GEO, and VP6DI expeditions,
is again be supporting the team for the duration of this 30 day trip.
Departure was from Durban, South Africa, and the end destination is
Fremantle, Western Australia. The team expects to be operational here
from the 20th of March through the 1st of April (KB8NW/OPDX/BARF80
March 21 via Dave Raycroft, ODXA via DXLD)
** KOREA NORTH. NORTH KOREAN VIDEOS SHOCK VIEWERS
The New York Times Monday, March 21, 2005
Drawn by the loudspeakers of propaganda vans, thousands of North
Koreans gathered, wearing drab padded jackets and Mao-style hats, in a
scene captured by a video camera in a border town facing China. . .
http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/03/20/news/north.html
(via Gerald T. Pollard, NC, DXLD) don`t overlook the NEXT pages
** LUXEMBOURG. I think this long thread may be of interest, but I
have not attempted to rework it into DXLD style with clearer and
complete attributions, without all the abbrs, etc. (gh)
LUX - CRI? RTL is trying to get 567, 783 and 1098 kHz coordinated for
use with 250 Kw and 279 kHz with 300 kW. A new Geneva plan supplement
has been published today. (first spotted by Klaus Schneider)
http://www.itu.int/ITU-R/publications/brific-ter/index.html
The file is small and loads in a nifty. It contains some frightening
requests from the megalomaniacs in LUX. SR's request for 1179 is also
there. Moldova on new 1503 is booming in. I guess they are 500 kW
nondirectional (Olle Alm-SWE, wwdxc BC-DX Mar 8)
The most recent survey of MW/LW stations that have been registered
with the ITU for further international coordination was posted on the
ITU website:
http://www.itu.int/ITU-R/publications/brific-ter/index.html
Select "GE75_112".
Note: any entry with countries shown in column "Coord_B"
("coordination required") is still in the coordination process: the
final characteristics are subject to be changed if required by
affected authorities, or a station may not be approved (Bernd
Trutenau, Lithuania, mwdx Mar 8)
I don't understand the RTL manager request. I never read somewhere
about these LUX desire.
279 is reserved for the Isle of Man project, and that GB location is
too close to LUX.
Clervaux-LUX site is not far of Marnach site. So seemingly new units
are planned for DRM projects, and new 4-mast arrays are needed to
solve screening requirements.
But 567 is registered for 500 kW powerhouse in IRL, and latter signal
covers BE-NE-LUX well and even heard here in Stuttgart daily.
783 kHz was used formerly by ex-GDR 1000 kW powerhouse then. And I'm
not aware how much of power is now registered with ITU Geneve by now
all-German authority for future use. Self-mutilation by Sachsen state
authorities after re-unfication of Germany.
1098 kHz Slovakia has now a very poor signal in Western Germany, so
this occupancy by 250 kW LUX superpower would fit in SUI, F, GER,
BeNeLux.
I don't know about the Ludwigshafen entry on 1314 kHz yet, seems a
low
power DRM project, like DRM SWR Kaiserslautern. At least in winter
and at night in summer, Norway is still a powerhouse even here in
southern GER.
And another DRM Kaiserslautern outlet on 1557 kHz ? But France 1557
kHz is much powerful and ahead of any 5 kW signal in western Germany.
(wb, wwdxc BC-DX Mar 9)
A wild, very wild speculation regarding the LUX requests [to ITU
Geneve, wb.] is that they could be intended for CRI (Olle Alm-SWE,
wwdxc BC-DX Mar 10)
CRI seems to have been making enquiries about using ALB MW senders to
reach northern Europe, and has probably realised that this is not
possible. Of course, there is 1395 kHz when TWR is not using it, but
I
don't know what other station(s) intend to use this freq eventually.
But if they are interested in using txs from LUX then maybe it will
mean additional MW txs are needed. And CRI have stated their
intention to go the way of DRM, so ...? We will see! There may yet be
too many objections from others already using 567, 783 & 1098. And
BTW - does 1593 still "belong" to Germany? It amazes me that no other
station has attempted to use it in western Europe. And of course
there is also 1566 - a Swiss frequency? These might be better than
the one's LUX wants.
I've been very interested in the correspondence concerning the new
LUX registrations - Olle's description (megalomaniacs) sounds the
correct one for the people at RTL.! As we are well aware, there is a
difference between AM and DRM, and I suggest that directional
characteristics of their antennas will not prevent co-ch noise QRM.
DRM is such an "intense" and continuous noise. Their plans to use 279
and 567 will surely badly affect the proposed IoM station and RTE.
I have not seen much reference to how DRM signals can be QRMed by AM
broadcasts - does the DRM signal need to be at a certain strength
above any other for it not to be corrupted? The MW band in Europe is
gradually descending into "chaos" again after several years of
reasonable reception. There are very few txions receivable at my
location which are entirely free of QRM. And many others which must
be severely disturbed at night except at locations relatively close
to the tx.
I'm very surprised that the BBC has not complained about the VoR
txion on 693 - it is often very severe at my location at night. Maybe
they are hoping that more DAB receivers will be sold! (Noel R. Green-
UK, wwdxc BC-DX Mar 10)
279 causes headaches or morning sickness?
Mic and others wrote, about CLT's bid to coordinate 279 for use at
Junglinster This must come as a huge shock to Paul. It looks like
Paul has a mega headache now.
not at all. I have made a few of those coordination request
applications myself (on behalf of other countries' administrations) -
a notable 8 applications for a country once, and we got ONE which
adjacent country the UK already used (that was 828). The deal is it
must be directional and not cause interference in a protected area.
For 279 our protected area extends halfway across the English
channel, and the three master in Luxland cannot get better than a -6
dB or so null. However, we were hoping to get that coverage with far
less than 500 kilowatts, so its a bloody nuisance, but this is in
fact a very speculative attempt to shoehorn some more outlets in.
CLT are rather keen to get several DRM streams up and running as well
as conventional AM outlets, and may be applying for 8 hoping to get
one or two successes. Also, there is often a lot of bartering to get
freq approvals. Trade-offs, etc.
I said the CL:T plan was to beam SW, which it isn't, as that could
bring objections from Tunisia, who are 'protected' on this frequency,
even though they dont use it (and have no plans to). In fact they
would like to beam east into Germany which is a huge market for them.
This might take years to coordinate, a 75 is simply a request to
discuss it, possibly in case we don't make it on the air. Mind you -
one of those who hides behind a nom de plume on here suggest we are a
dead duck. It`s him who is quackers, believe me, and I have the
pictures to prove it.
However, I'm touched that there is such concern about the fate of the
IOM 279 project. Let me assure you it is VERY MUCH alive and we hope
to be on the air this summer. News to be released as soon as
necessary, we just don`t want to dilute the impact at launch.
(Anybody wanna help get the station ready instead of debating
potential problems?? Email me off list)
Relax folks. You're seeing ghosts, Ok after something dies, but NOT
before it`s born! I`ve got no headache, just morning sickness!
(Paul Rusling-GB, Anorak Nation Mar 9)
RTL Group was born of the merger between CLT-UFA and Pearson TV in
April 2000. CLT-UFA itself was created when the TV and radio group
owned by Bertelsmann AG and the German newspaper group WAZ merged
with the Belgian-Canadian Groupe Bruxelles Lambert (GBL).
In July 2001, Bertelsmann became majority shareholder of RTL Group
following a stock swap with GBL in which GBL changed its 30 percent
stake in RTL Group against a 25 percent stake in Bertelsmann AG.
In December 2001, Bertelsmann entered into an agreement with Pearson
plc to acquire its 22 percent stake in RTL Group. Bertelsmann's
interest in RTL Group is now 90.4 percent. The remaining 9.6 percent
of RTL Group are publicly traded on the Brussels and Luxembourg stock
exchanges.
http://www.rtlgroup.com/_2005/AboutUs_40.htm
see also http://www.rtlgroup.com/_2005/AboutUs_History.htm
KL: Clervaux-LUX site is not far of Marnach site. It is understood
that these applications in fact refer to this very site, just using
another name. (KL)
WB: No that`s wrong.
567 LUX ADD HJ CLERVAUX 005E58 50N02 0 9 250 29.0 B 3 IRL
567 LUX ADD HN CLERVAUX 005E58 50N02 0 9 250 29.0 B 3 D; IRL
screened towards Muehlacker 576, 245 km, 120-130 degrees.
and SUI 558 at 145 degr.
783 LUX ADD HJ CLERVAUX 005E58 50N02 0 9 250 29.0 B 3
783 LUX ADD HN CLERVAUX 005E58 50N02 0 9 250 29.0 B 3 E; POR
screened towards Bonn 774, 125 km, 50-60 degrees.
Leipzig 783, 460 km, 68 degr.
1098 LUX ADD HJ CLERVAUX 005E58 50N02 0 9 250 29.0 B 3 G
1098 LUX ADD HN CLERVAUX 005E58 50N02 0 9 250 29.0 B 3 E; G
screened towards Bratislava-SVK 1098, 830 km, 119 degrees.
Marnach installation location at G.C. 06E04 50N02.
So the new antenna masts are to be planned more westerly accross the
border on the adjacent next village of Clervaux, coordinate locator
difference says 4 miles / 7 kilometers:
azimuth 270.02.18degr 7.165 km 4.45 miles
783 kHz was used formerly by ex-GDR 1000 kW powerhouse then. And I'm
not aware how much of power is now registered with ITU Geneve by now
all-German authority for future use.
KL: Probably 100 kW. At least MDR and Deutsche Telekom were required
to do some coordination procedures for the Burg ./. Wiederau site
swap a decade ago.
Anyway it is remarkable, to say the least, that acc. the ITU file
only Spain and Portugal have to take part in the coordination
procedure. I guess MDR engineering will not be amused... (Kai Ludwig-D
and Wolfgang Bueschel-D, wwdxc BC-DX Mar 9)
NG: BTW - does 1593 still "belong" to Germany? It amazes me that no
other station has attempted to use it in western Europe. And of
course there is also 1566 - a Swiss frequency? These might be better
than the one's LUX wants.
WB: I think so, once 800 kW had been registered at ITU. But German
authorities are SPLIT UP in 16 different local state department, not
very effective in international tx power struggle.
KL: Well, freq planning is actually in the responsibility of
Regulierungsbehoerde fuer Telekommunikation und Post (RegTP), a
federal agency. RegTP approves txions from the technical point of
view.
After the clearance of the freqs by RegTP it lies in the
responsibility of the individual states to allocate them to
broadcasters (to be complete, public broadcasters may claim freqs
under certain conditions).
1593 kHz now more or less belongs to Bavaria. Of course Bavaria may
return it to Nordrhein-Westfalen. Actually this is an internal matter
of Germany, since it is still possible to claim the Geneve schedule
registration.
WB: VoA Ismaning ceases. I heard rumours that Ismaning will cease
1197 kHz site coming season ... so, RTL may use 1197 kHz channel then?
KL: Oooops... Actually they now use it more or less as a replacement
for Marcali 1188. So the Balkans are no longer a relevant target area
for BBG as well?
WB: Instead of former political dictatorship on MW in 1948-1990 era,
we see now rise a commercial dictatorship on the freq coordination
horizont ...
KL: Very true. And CRI fits in here as well. They still have a
background of political dictatorship, but without their economical
power they wouldn't be able to grab 1386 kHz, to literally buy Radio
Tirana and to lease airtime from RTL.
WB: Once again my suggestion of yesterday: I would suggest RTL radio
to use either 846, 1035, 1080, 1197, 1260[1251 HOL], 1359, 1503,
1566, 1593 kHz instead (wb, KL-Kai Ludwig-D, and Noel R. Green-UK,
wwdxc BC-DX Mar 9 / 12)
And re 1593 - yes, the 800 kW WDR sender near the Dutch border at
Langenberg - and which used to formerly occupy 1586 - was an
excellent night time signal here, although suffered at times from
multi-fading characteristics. It carried many favourite mx programmes
that were often listened to (Noel R. Green-UK, wwdxc BC-DX Mar 11)
RTL schlaegt jetzt voll zu. Folgende Neukoordinierungen sind bei der
ITU eingetragen:
279 kHz Junglinster Lux 300 kW
567 kHz Clervaux Lux 250 kW
783 kHz Clervaux Lux 250 kW
1098 kHz Clervaux Lux 250 kW
Neu in Deutschland:
1179 kHz Saarbruecken 10 kW
1314 kHz Ludwigshafen 5 kW
1557 kHz Kaiserslautern 5 kW
Die 1179 fuer das neue SR info. Und auch der SWR versucht wohl ein
DRM-Netz zu knuepfen. (Klaus Schneider-D, A-DX Mar 8)
Clervaux Marnach. Beide Ortschaften liegen nur 3 km voneinander
entfernt. Aber 250 kW fuer DRM? Ist das nicht viel zu viel?
Eigentlich soll DRM ja u.a. zu Stromeinsparungen fuehren, oder? (Joe
Leider-LUX, A-DX Mar 8)
Danke fuer den Link. In dem Dokument steht eine Frist fuer
Kommentare. Sind wohl also (noch) Wuensche. Gruss Rick(A-DX)
Es steht aber ADD davor und nicht PLN. Eines muss man RTL lassen,
egal wie man zu der Sache steht. Die tun was sie sagen.
Das alles sind keine Ueberraschungen, sondern war angekuendigt. Als
man neue Sender bestellt hat, habe ich mich noch gefragt, wo die denn
senden sollen. Jetzt wissen wir es. Und die werden das durchziehen,
ob mit oder ohne Kommentar.
Natuerlich kann man heute nicht mehr von "Koordinierungen" reden. Es
gibt ja noch mehr solcher Beispiele.
Megaradio Wuerzburg 1386 oder auch Truckradio 855.
Die 1179 kHz soll uebrigens nur eine Tagesfrequenz sein, kommt sich
mit Schweden dann wohl nicht ins Gehege.
Die RLP-Frequenzen sollen wohl eine LPR-Sache werden, haben also mit
dem SWR nichts zu tun.
1314 ist natuerlich Schwachsinn. Koennte gut sein, dass wir in
naechster Zeit noch mehr "Koordinierungen" sehen werden.
(Klaus Schneider-D, A-DX Mar 8)
Kommentar von Martin Elbe zur Mail von Klaus Schneider:
279 kHz Junglinster Lux 300 kW
...womit der Privatsender von der Insel Man damit gestorben sein
duerfte...
567 kHz Clervaux Lux 250 kW
...die Iren werden sich fuer das Rauschen bedanken...
[und die Rentner im Suedwesten, die nebenan Muehlacker 576 kHz hoeren
{wollen} wb.]
783 kHz Clervaux Lux 250 kW
... dann kann der MDR bald abschalten ...
Neu in Deutschland:
1179 kHz Saarbruecken 10 kW
1314 kHz Ludwigshafen 5 kW
Die beiden Sender duerften kaum weiter als 20 km zu hoeren sein bei
Dunkelheit. Norwegen und Schweden werden die gnadenlos plaetten...
Ja, bescheuerte Idee. Sind das jetzt Wuensche der Betreiber oder
abgeschlossene Koordinierungen gewesen ?
Eigentlich koennen das nur Wuensche sein. Jedem Land sind nach seiner
Groesse Lang- und Mittelwellenfrequenzen zugeordnet, ich glaube kaum,
dass das kleine Luxemburg zwei leistungsstarke Lang- und vier
leistungsstarke Mittelwellenfrequenzen fuer sich beanspruchen kann.
Da die ITU aber nichts machen kann, wenn sich ein Land nicht an die
ihm zugewiesenen Frequenzen haelt, ist es schon denkbar, dass RTL
sich mit Brachialgewalt breitmacht. Dann von "Koordinierung" zu
reden, ist allerdings Chuzpe.
Lass sie doch ihr Geld verbrennen! Schade ist es natuerlich um die
zugemuellten Frequenzen (diverse, und Martin Elbe-D
http://home.wolfsburg.de/elbe/ A-DX Mar 8, all via BC-DX via DXLD)
** NETHERLANDS. Re DXLD 5-047, I think there is a typo in John
Norfolk`s listing of Radio Netherlands English schedule. Checking the
OnTarget pdf file the 1900 weekend North American broadcast is on
17660 not 17760 (Mike Barraclough, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** NORWAY. 5 MHZ PERMISSION TO NORWEGIAN AMATEUR RADIO CLUB STATIONS
The Norwegian Post and Telecommunications Authority has granted
permission to Norwegian amateur radio club stations to operate on
eight 5 MHz-band spot frequencies from 1 April 2005 until 31 December
2007. The permitted modes are upper sideband and CW, with a maximum
transmitter power of 100 watts. The centre frequencies of the channels
are: 5280, 5290, 5332, 5348, 5368, 5373, 5400 and 5405 kHz, with the
upper sideband 'dial frequency' being 1.5kHz lower in each case.
The permission has been granted on a non-interference-basis. Thanks to
the NRRL HF Traffic Manager, Tom Segalstad, LA4LN, for this news story
(RSGB) http://www.rsgb.org/news/gb2rs.htm (via Mike Terry, via HCDX
via SW Bulletin via DXLD)
** OKLAHOMA [and non]. TONY RENDA EXPANDS HIS BROADCASTING REACH
Miami Herald, Sun, 20 Mar 2005 8:08 AM PST
PITTSBURGH - Tony Renda's entrepreneurial passion started with a radio
station in McKeesport. For his Italian immigrant parents, it was their
neighborhood grocery store in Indiana, PA above which he was born. . .
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/breaking_news/11187009.htm
(via Sheldon Harvey, DXLD) I.e., KOKC/KOMA
** PERU. 4900.1, R San Miguel, March 16th, 0200, station closing down,
address, fax- number, national anthem (QSY from 4903); O=3 (Michael
Schnitzer, et al., Denmark, HCDX via DXLD) See BHUTAN
** POLAND. TIRED OF DECADE-LONG BATTLE WITH RADIO MARYJA, THE POLISH
BISHOPS LAY DOWN RULES FOR MEDIA
News and commentary from Dr. Hansjoerg Biener, publisher and editor of
Medien-Aktuell, the international Christian media bulletin in the
German language. Dr. Biener kindly send me his article and commentary
and I use it with his standing permission. He is not responsible,
however, for the translation. You May contact him at Neulichtenhofstr.
7 - DE-90461 Nuernberg or thru his website, http://www.biener-media.de
--- CRU editor.
Warszawa, Mar 10 (Medien-Aktuell, first paragraph only; rest CRU) ---
People in the Church who work in Catholic media must soon behave
themselves according to clear rules. That is what the Polish bishops
have resolved at their conference on March 8th-9th as the result of
the long smoldering battle with Radio Maryja that has been going for
several years. According to observers, the station is rightwing and
opposed to the European Union.
The feisty founder and director, Father Tadeusz Rydzyk, has had an
ongoing battle with bishops as well as politicians, observers, and
critical Polish and international individuals, media, and
organizations. In October 2002, Cardinal Jozef Glemp of Warsaw
attempted to curb Radio Maryja by requiring the station to conform to
the Code of Canon Law in registering with the archdiocese and seeking
approval for its fund-raising activities that it conducts under the
aegis of the Catholic Church. He gave Father Rydzyk a deadline of
October 1st, but the station met the requirements. The Cardinal had
hoped that other Polish bishops would rally behind him and make the
same demands in their own dioceses that the local offices and studios
of Radio Maryja would conform to Canon Law, but the other bishops
sided with the station against the bishops. According to the British
Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Radio Maryja ``has strong connections
with a right-wing Catholic political party, the League of Polish
Families, which has 38 seats in the country's parliament.``
That was over two years ago, but since then, the patience of the
bishops has been eroding. Perhaps what accelerated it was the
intransigent opposition of Father Rydzyk and his station to Poland’s
joining the European Union. The Pope himself had advocated joining the
EU: ``Europe needs Poland. The Church in Europe needs the Polish
people's witness to the faith. Poland needs Europe," the Pope said in
an address before the May 2002 vote. But Radio Maryja organized a
national prayer conference at the country’s holiest shrine, Our Lady
of Czestochowa, in which the millions of Radio Maryja listeners were
urged to take part and ``pray no`` to joining the European Union.
``We, the real patriots, we must say No to this neo-pagan union which
wants to impose abortion, euthanasia, and homosexual marriages on us,"
said one guest on a talk show that often attacked the Union.
According to Dr. Hansjoerg Biener, editor and publisher of Meiden-
Aktuell, last month the renowned and distinguished patriot and
politician Lech Walesa, founder of the Solidarity movement, which
ultimately ended Communism in Poland, published an open letter in the
Gazeta Wyborcza, in which he sharply attacked Radio Maryja. The
honored labor leader and president reproached the conservative
Catholic radio station of Father Tadeusz Rydzyk as being a political
and not a religious station. ``The anti-Semitism and xenophobic`` tone
of the programming of the station, as well as the ``hate tirades`` and
``the manipulation of the person and teaching of the Pope stand in
contradiction to the Christian value system. The station hazards our
young democracy and thus the world estimation of Poland and the
Catholic Church in Poland.``
The station was apolitical for half of its existence, but in 1995
began to mobilize its listeners politically. Radio Maryja supported
the election campaign Walesa for president, who ran against Wasniewski
but today it offers strident anti-European and anti-Semitic
pronouncements. The 61-year-old Walesa says that the station should
lose its national license. Radio Maryja reaches an audience of over 5
million steady listeners and, in 2003, started its own TV program,
``Trwam.``
It is not only the Polish bishops who have had their fill of Radio
Maryja; earlier this year, Father Rydzyk was called to Rome to give an
account of himself and Radio Maryja, according to published reports.
But apparently nothing that resulted in that meeting was leaked to the
public, which is not surprising, because matters treating priests and
their performance are kept secret in Rome.
Whatever the future course of Radio Maryja, whether it responds to the
demands that the Polish Bishops Conference and the Vatican may put on
it, remains to be seen. In the meantime, the course of other Radios
Maria in Europe, those that belong to the World Family, is made so
much the more difficult. Radio Maria Lithuania, for example, ran into
much difficulty with the government in getting a license because of
the notorious politicizing of Radio Maryja in Poland. A European
source tells Catholic Radio Update that Radio Horeb has been
unsuccessful in obtaining additional FM frequencies, including one in
Berlin, because of fears on the part of authorities that they would
have another Radio Maryja Poland on their hands. Radio Horeb
encountered considerable opposition in winning majority use of its
Munich FM frequency because of the reputation of Radio Maryja in
Poland. Indeed, the international press has featured reports on Radio
Maryja on occasion, and the picture is not flattering. The station
and the World Family of Radio Maria, to which it once belonged, parted
ways several years ago in quiet fashion.
But in the public mind in too many countries Radio Maria is synonymous
with xenophobia, anti-Semitism, intense nationalism, and isolationism,
and another example of the Church taking unfair advantage of its
position by waging political, allegedly often vicious, campaigns (via
Mike Dorner, Catholic Radio Update March 22 via DXLD)
** PORTUGAL. Here's the A-05 schedule of R. Portugal (RDPi):
# indicates special broadcasts, which only take place on certain
occasions, usually for relaying major football matches. Tx sites:
RDP - CEOC-Centro Emissor de Onda Curta, São Gabriel, Pegões: 5 x 100
kW, 2 x 300 kW.
Pro-Funk, Sines: 3 x 250 kW.
UTC kHz KW Beam
Eur, Mon-Fri
0500-0700 7240 300 45º
0700-0755 9815 300 45º
0500-0755 9840 100 52º
0645-0800 11850 250 55º
0800-1200 12020 300 45º
1600-1900 13770 100 52º
1600-1900 11905 300 45º
1900-2300# 9820 300 45º
1900-2300# 13820 100 52º
Eur, Sat+Sun
0700-1355 12020 300 45º
0700-1345 13640 100 52º
0830-1000 11955 250 55º
1400-1800 15555 100 52º
1800-2000 11700 100 52º
1400-2000 13770 300 45º
1900-2300# 13720 100 52º
1900-2300# 9820 300 45º
ME+India, Mon-Fri only
1300-1500 15770 100 81.5º
Africa, Mon-Fri
1000-1200 21830 100 142º
1600-1900 17680 300 144º
1900-2300# 11945 300 144º
Africa, Sat+Sun
0700-1000 15160 100 144º
1000-1700 21830 100 144º
1700-2000 17680 300 144º
1900-2300# 11945 300 144º
NAm, Mon-Fri
1200-2300# 15560 100 294º
2300-0200 9715 100 294º
2300-0200 11630 100 310º
NAm, Sat+Sun
1200-2000 15560 100 294º
2000-2300# 15560 100 294º
NW SoAm, Mon-Fri
1700-2300# 15555 100 261º
2300-0200 13700 100 261º
Sat+Sun
1200-2000 17615 100 261º
1900-2300# 15555 100 261º
SoAm + WAfr, Mon-Fri
1000-1200 15575 100 226º
1600-1900 21655 100 226º
1600-2000# 21655 100 226º
2000-2300# 15295 100 226º
Sat+Sun
0700-1000 12000 300 226º
1000-2000 21655 300 226º
2000-2300# 15295 100 226º
ESoAm, Mon-Fri
2300-0200 13660 100 215º
2300-0200 15295 300 226º
73, (via Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, March 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
PORTUGAL: RDP Sked effective from 27 March 2005 (AO5)
All programmes in Portuguese language.
Monday to Friday:
0500-0755 EU 7240(-0700) 9840
0645-0800 EU 11850
0700-0755 EU 9815
0800-1200 EU 12020
1000-1200 AF/SAM 21830 15575
1200-2300* NAM 15560
1300-1500 ME 15770
1600-1900 AF/SAM 21655 17680
1600-1900 EU 13770 11905
1700-2300* SAM 15555
1900-2000* SAM 21655
1900-2300* EU/AF 9820 11945 13720
2000-2300* SAM 15295
Tuesday to Saturday:
0000-0300 SAM 13700
2300-0200 NAM 9715 11630
2300-0200 SAM 13660 15295
Saturday and Sunday:
0700-1000 AF/SAM 12000 15160
0700-1355 EU 12020 13640(-1345)
0830-1000 EU 11995
1000-1700 AF 21830
1000-2000 SAM 21655
1200-2000 N+SAM 15560 17615
1400-1800 EU 15555
1400-2000 EU 11700(1800-) 13770
1700-2000 AF 17680
1900-2300* EU 9820 13720
1900-2300* AF/SAM 15555 11945
2000-2300 NAM 15560
2000-2300* SAM 15295
* Special transmissions (via Alokesh Gupta in dxldyg mail list,
arranged by Alan Roe, WDXC via DXLD)
** RUSSIA. 11975, 2358-, Kamchatska Rybatskaya (fisherman's program),
Mar 19. OC from tune in at 2350. I finally remembered to check on this
fisherman's program from Kamchatka. No IS. Instead at 0000:05 began
with some drums and into ID for Kamchatka Rybatskaya. Then into a
modern Russian female vocal and into news at 0004. Excellent S9 + 20.
Especially pleasant to listen on the R390A with SE3. 5-5-5 all the
way. News is local, not network Radio Rossii, or Mayak. ILG shows beam
directly at us, so couldn't be any stronger! UT Sundays only. Rather
interesting program, including a psychological segment at 0026 about
the problems between men and women at sea, and if I caught the drift,
the effects on children. Nice ID at 0030, and into another modern
Russian popular song --- just the type I would picture an average
Russian listening to at a picnic by the seashore. Mostly music during
the second half, with a jingle 'Muzyka' between each selection. Even a
single American soul piece towards the end of the show. One more
Russian song, until 0059:30. Then a bit of a fanfare, and off without
any announcement. OC cut at 0100:45 (Volodya Salmaniw, Victoria, BC,
DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** RUSSIA. RADIO ''THE VOICE OF RUSSIA'' RUSSIAN LANGUAGE BROADCASTING
(FREQUENCIES FROM MARCH 27th, 2005, Times = UTC)
================================================
RUSSIAN WORLD SERVICE
======================
For EUROPE:
1.00-2.00 -- 603, 936;
2.00-3.00 -- 936;
12.00-13.00 -- 936, 972, 999, 1431, 1548;
13.00-14.00 -- 9480 (DRM);
17.00-18.00 -- 603, 693, 11630;
19.00-20.00 -- 1215, 5950, 116.30, 11745;
20.00-21.00 -- 999, 1215 kHz.
For MOSCOW Region:
19.00-20.00 -- 612 kHz.
For NEAR EAST:
1.00-2.00 -- 648, 972, 1314, 1503, 5945;
12.00-13.00 -- 1143;
13.00-14.00 -- 15540;
15.00-16.00 -- 1251, 1314, 5945, 11635, 12055, 15440;
17.00-18.00 -- 13850, 15540;
19.00-20.00 -- 5950, 12055;
20.00-21.00 -- 12055 kHz.
For AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND AND PACIFIC:
12.00-14.00 -- 11670 kHz.
For NORTH America:
1.00-2.00 -- 9860;
1.00-3.00 -- 9725, 9880, 15425, 15455 kHz.
For CENTRAL America:
1.00-3.00 -- 12070 kHz.
For SOUTH America:
1.00-3.00 -- 5900, 12070;
2.00-3.00 -- 7330 kHz.
For AFRICA:
2.00-3.00 -- 7330;
13.00-14.00, 17.00-18.00 -- 15540 kHz.
For CENTRAL Asia:
12.00-13.00 -- 1143, 9480, 9745, 9920, 11670;
13.00-14.00 -- 1251, 9480, 9745, 11670;
15.00-16.00 -- 1251, 5945, 12055 kHz.
For SOUTH-EAST Asia:
12.00-14.00 -- 7390, 11670;
13.00-14.00 -- 17645 kHz.
For MIDDLE East:
1.00-2.00 -- 648, 972, 1503;
12.00-13.00 -- 1143, 9920;
13.00-14.00 -- 1251, 17645 kHz.
For CAUCASIAN Region:
1.00-2.00 É 15.00-16.00 -- 1314;
19.00-21.00 -- 12055 kHz.
For UKRAINE and MOLDAVIA:
1.00-3.00 -- 936;
12.00-13.00 -- 936, 972, 999, 1431, 1548;
19.00-20.00 -- 11745;
20.00-21.00 -- 999 kHz.
For BALTIC countries:
17.00-18.00 É 19.00-20.00 -- 11630 kHz.
____________________________________
''SODRUZHESTVO'' (''COMMONWELTH'')
=================================
For UKRANE and MOLDAVIA:
2.00-3.00, 8.00-9.00, 10.00-15.00 -- 1170;
8.00-12.00, 13.00-15.00 -- 936, 972;
13.00-15.00 -- 999, 1548;
13.00-16.00 -- 1431;
13.00-19.00 -- 7370;
15.00-17.00 -- 936 kHz.
For BYELORUSSIA:
2.00-3.00, 8.00-9.00, 10.00-15.00 -- 1170;
14.00--19.00 -- 9820 kHz.
For CENTRAL Asia:
2.00-3.00 -- 648, 972;
2.00-3.00, 12.00-19.00 -- 1503;
12.00-15.00 -- 9875;
13.00-14.00 -- 1143;
13.00-15.00 -- 9920;
14.00-18.00 -- 9800;
15.15-17.00 -- 9865;
16.00-18.00 -- 972;
16.00-19.00 -- 1026;
17.00-19.00 -- 648 kHz.
For CAUCASIAN Region:
2.00-3.00, 4.00-6.00, 15.00-16.00, 21.00-22.00 -- 1089;
14.00-17.00 -- 11830;
16.00-19.00 -- 234;
17.00-19.00 -- 12055;
21.00-22.00 -- 1314 kHz.
For BALTIC Countries:
2.00-3.00, 8.00-9.00, 10.00-15.00 -- 1170;
13.00-19.00 -- 7370;
14.00-19.00 -- 9820;
18.00-19.00 -- 1494 kHz.
For EUROPE:
2.00-3.00, 8.00-9.00, 10.00-15.00 -- 1170;
13.00-15.00 -- 1548;
18.00-19.00 -- 1494;
21.00-22.00 -- 603, 693, 1323*
*) Exc. We. and Th.
For MOSCOW Region:
21.00-22.00 -- 612 kHz.
______________________________________
''RUSSIAN INTERNATIONAL RADIO'' (''RUSSKOYE MEZHDUNARODNOYE RADIO'')
For EUROPE:
3.00-4.00, 6.00-8.00, 23.00-2.00 -- 1170;
4.00-8.00 -- 1548;
9.00-10.00 -- 1215;
12.00-15.00, 19.00-21.00 -- 603, 693;
12.00-15.00, 20.00-21.00 -- 1323;
15.00-17.00 -- 1494;
21.00-23.00 -- 999, 1215;
23.00-5.00 -- 7125 kHz.
For NORTH and CENTRAL America:
23.00-5.00 -- 7125 kHz.
For MIDDLE East:
3.00-5.00, 21.00-22.00 -- 1170;
10.00-11.00 -- 864;
10.00-12.00 -- 1323;
11.00-12.00, 14.00-17.30 -- 801;
14.00-15.00 -- 15430;
14.00-17.00 -- 13850;
16.00-20.00 -- 1089;
17.00-18.00 -- 9835;
19.00-21.00 -- 1314, 5985, 9825;
20.00-21.00 -- 7260 kHz.
For UKRAINE and MOLDAVIA:
6.00-8.00, 23.00-4.00 -- 1170;
4.00-8.00 -- 1548;
15.00-19.00 -- 972;
17.00-20.00 -- 936;
21.00-23.00 -- 999 kHz.
For BYELORUSSIA:
6.00-8.00, 23.00-4.00 -- 1170;
12.00-17.00, 18.00-21.00 -- 1143 kHz.
For CENTRAL Asia:
2.00-4.00, 8.00-9.00, 11.00-12.00 É 14.00-17.30 -- 801;
10.00-12.00 -- 1323, 11750;
16.00-18.00 -- 5925;
18.00-19.00 -- 1323;
18.00-22.00 -- 1143;
23.00-2.00 -- 1026 kHz.
For CAUCASIAN Region:
3.00-5.00, 21.00-22.00 -- 1170;
3.00-4.00 -- 1089;
10.00-11.00 -- 864;
14.00-17.00 -- 13855;
19.00-21.00 -- 1314 kHz.
For BALTIC Countries:
3.00-4.00, 6.00-8.00, 23.00-2.00 -- 1170;
12.00-17.00 É 18.00-21.00 -- 1143;
15.00-17.00 -- 1494 kHz.
__________________
Actual Information and Real Audio: http://www.vor.ru.
E-mail: letters@vor.ru
73! (Pavel Mikhaylov, Moscow, via wwdxc BC-DX March 20 via DXLD)
** SEYCHELLES [non]. 14 March 2005, Dear Mr Biener, Thank you for
responding to my recent letter. We are very happy to keep you in touch
(...)
You also commented that we are more reluctant to communicate to DX
listeners. The change in Feba's approach only relates to reception
reports from radio enthusiasts and it was rather forced on us by
circumstances. The change from broadcasting via Seychelles to using
other service providers happened quite quickly and involved a lot of
planning and preparation in a short time.
Programmes are now broadcast via service providers, with programmes
being combined into blocks of an hour or more before being sent to the
service provider. The blocks are often compiled by producers overseas
and usually include several programmes, sometimes of more than one
language. It is therefore now much more difficult to identify and
confirm individual programmes than it was when most were broadcasts
via the Seychelles station. To check details of individual programmes
would take up a lot of staff time which we feel can be better used
elsewhere. We realise this is a big disappointment for DX-ers like you
and I am sorry about this.
We are of course very happy to continue sending literature and
programme schedule information as before. Thank you for publicising
Feba`s broadcasts to your members.
Yours sincerely, Angela Brooke, Supporter Relations,
Feba, Ivy Arch Rd, Worthing, West Sussex, England BN14 813X
Telephone: (+44) 01903 237281 Fax: (+44) 01903 205294
E-mail: info @ feba.org.uk Website: http://www.feba.org.uk
(via Dr Hansjoerg Biener, Germany, March 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** SOLOMON ISLANDS. 5019.94, SIBC (Presumed), Mar 20, 1420-1455, BBC
program ``Talking Point,`` with Bridget Kendall, about Ireland, the
IRA and Sinn Fein, fair-poor/starting to fade out (Ron Howard,
Monterey, CA, NRD545, with T2FD antenna, DX LISTENING DIGEST) This may
become our prime Talking Point frequency, with 15190 soon gone (gh)
** SOMALIA. PUNTLAND AUTHORITIES THREATEN BAN ON BBC FM RELAY - RADIO
REPORT | Text of report by Somali Puntland-based Radio Midnimo on 19
March
Students, elders and other citizens have participated in a
demonstration organized by Bari regional administration and
Information Ministry [of the regional administration of Puntland]
The demonstrators were addressed at the local government's hall by
Information Assistant Minister Bakiin, Deputy Police Commander Abdi-
aziz Sa'id Ga'amey, Bari Region chairman Yusuf Muhammad Waceys,
Boosaaso Mayor Rooble Umar Gudur and other officials.
They criticized the Speaker of the federal transitional parliament of
Somalia, Sharif Hasan, and said he is someone who cannot take
responsibilities and that he was responsible for the problem that
erupted at the parliamentary session in Nairobi following the decision
he made, which they say was not just.
The leaders also told the demonstrators that BBC is not neutral and
that the BBC thrives on confrontation and hostilities among the
Somalis clans.
The assistant information minister said they might impose a ban on the
FM station relaying BBC Somali service. He also added they will give
approval to other international media bodies like Al Jazeera TV, Al-
Arabiya and the rest, which he described as neutral.
Recent parliamentary session of Puntland also criticized the BBC
Somali Service. Source: Radio Midnimo, Boosaaso, in Somali 1030 gmt 19
Mar 05 (via BBCM via DXLD)
** SRI LANKA. 15748, March 17, 1415, Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corp. with
Jukebox, a request programme with nice older music. Then the Pop Club
at 1430 from The Commercial Service (which I thought had changed to
All Asia Service - maybe it is older recordings??). 3-4 CB (Christer
Brunström, Sweden, SW Bulletin March 20, translated by editor Thomas
Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U K. Glenn -- can you do me a favor? Regarding my BBC note that you
quoted therein: "No way for the buyers of that reference to easily
dialogue with other shortwave listeners. [i.e. PWBR, which is afraid
people might find out there are better sources of SW info]"
Can you note in your next DXLD that the bracketed comments naming PWBR
as a resource that doesn't let others know about better sources were
your editorial insertions? I didn't see your little '-gh' there like I
normally do. Thanks (Rich Cuff, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Sorry, a bit of false economy there as adding the ``gh`` would have
gone over to another line (always concerned about those printing out
DXLD). However, one may assume that bracketed [] comments are from gh.
I even change brackets previous editors use to () when quoting items
or otherwise clarify (gh)
As usual you are doing a tremendous job for us all. I have been
reading your reports about the BBC, it makes me so mad. They seem to
be totally ignorant of the real situation for North American
listeners. 12095 has been coming in very well here almost at any time
of day, would hate to lose it (Bernie O`Shea, Ont., March 20, DX
LISTENING DIGEST)
I'm sorry the BBC is apparently ignoring the poorer listeners, many in
Africa, India and the third world where as I've said many ordinary
people have not the financial or technical means to access space or
cyberspace and no local FM station could or would broadcast BBC World
Service. I say again, many of these folks do not simply erect
expensive aerial systems for their Kenwoods, Trios, Lowes or Sonys but
struggle to pay for the 1.5 volt batteries for their simple cheap
radio sets. Who asks these listeners' opinions and compiles the
figures that the executives base their observations of reductions of
short-wave listening on; Who collates the results to obtain these
decisions and why? If normal radio services are withdrawn from these
listeners, will they not feel the 'rich' western world is again
suiting itself, and be minded to isolationism and conflict; Radio
brings knowledge, if done properly, and international understanding
and whatever one thinks of the BBC it shows independence of political
bias and a far better attitude to it's overseas listeners - on air -
than other large broadcasters, pity those who decide on its method of
decimation seem to live on planet 'yuppie' (Rog Parsons (BDXC 782)
Hinckley, Leics., BDXC-UK via DXLD)
Re: [dxld] Why is BBC World Service reducing its short wave provision?
The BBC has based these cuts on worldwide audience research, which has
shown that shortwave audiences have been plummeting in recent years.
In developed countries we all know that hardly anyone listens on
shortwave now apart from us hobbyists. Even in the poorest parts of
Africa, the Middle East and Asia, the shortwave audiences have been
rapidly diminishing in recent years: most people now listen on FM or
watch TV rather than tune to shortwave. So there is no "political
bias" in these cuts, the BBC is probably simply reflecting the reality
of current listening patterns - and in the process is saving UK
taxpayers the cost of funding expensive shortwave transmissions which
perhaps few are now listening to. This pattern was first observed in
India several years ago, when the respected BBC correspondent Mark
Tully observed during his travels that in poorer areas, many people
had abandoned radio listening altogether, and were now watching TV
instead. This might be surprising to us in the West but I believe that
similar patterns are now emerging in other areas, such as Africa and
the Middle East (Dave Kenny, BDXC-UK via DXLD)
I don't believe that sales of very cheap radios from China which
happen to have shortwave bands on them is relevant. These radios are
also sold in the UK in large numbers, but the vast majority of them
are used for listening to FM and mediumwave (AM) stations and are
probably never switched to shortwave. The fact is that shortwave
audiences have been plummeting in recent years, both in industrialised
countries here in the West and now in the poorest parts of Africa and
Asia. The BBC is simply reflecting the reality of the current
dwindling shortwave audiences by making these cuts. There is no
dishonesty in this.
The BBC is probably the only international broadcaster that carries
out very extensive audience research around the world and this
provides conclusive evidence that shortwave audiences are disappearing
fast - even in the poorest countries where TV and FM are now
widespread (Dave Kenny, UK, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Hi Dave: I think there's a certain aspect of people believing what
they want to believe in all this -- including those who might agree
with me. While it is said that audience research bears out what you
say, there is nowhere for you and me (as regular, everyday listeners)
to access this research because it's all been deemed proprietary. The
conclusions are public, but the methods, raw data, etc. are not. So I
have no way to assess whether the BBC is telling the truth or not in
this regard. Perhaps you've chosen to believe them. I'm not so
trusting. Some "research" is emerging that shortwave usage is on an
upswing. But I don't have access to that either. Which to believe?
FWIW, I think you're correct if you're speaking of the urban areas.
Shortwave use is down there, I think (but certainly not out). That's
an intuitive conclusion simply based on the introduction of more
alternatives. But everyone does not live near or in a major city. Now
if the BBC wants to say that it has no interest in serving people
outside major cities, that's their prerogative, I suppose. But that
sort of attitude is not one that I usually associate with a public
service broadcaster.
As to what people use a radio for, I think your assessment is a guess
at best. The fact is that if a radio has a shortwave band, there's at
least a chance that it will be used. Heck, if the BBC had spent as
much time, expense and effort promoting its availability on shortwave
as it has its recent use of the internet and local placement... well,
you can finish that sentence.
Far from just reflecting reality, the BBC is attempting to create it.
Given its influence in international broadcasting circles, it can do
that. I think its efforts have been disingenuous at best and not in
keeping with the best practices of an international public broadcaster
(John Figliozzi, NY, ibid.)
``Complete and utter b.s. IMHO.``
Which part?? What evidence do you have to contradict the initial
statement
"Short wave listening around the world is declining"
on which the rest of the BBC statement is based? You only cover the
situation in North America whereas most of the shortwave audience has
always been outside of North America.
My view is that it is true that there is more listening to
international radio on local FM relays, by satellite and via the
internet. More and more people are also accessing broadcasters from
outside their native country by means of satellite television.
The case for retaining shortwave is that it can be heard on a cheap
portable radio and the broadcaster has control of the means of
transmission, internet sites can be blocked and local FM relays can be
taken off the air by local governments usually at the very point, a
local crisis, that their citizens would need independent news reports
(Mike Barraclough, ibid.)
Hi again. I thought my statements that came after that backed it up,
but; of course, if an audience has more alternatives, then each of the
alternatives will be shared. And that will reduce what was once the
only medium to some fraction of the whole. So? Also if you shut off
shortwave to whole regions of the world (I think I mentioned North
America and Australasia -- not just NA; but you could add Europe as
well); of course your shortwave audience will decline. So? My point is
that -- yes, reduce the resources you devote to that formerly single
means (i.e.: shortwave) in a measured, practical way. But turn it off
completely to a region? Why? There is so much excess capacity on
shortwave relay transmitters that time can be bought for one frequency
close in to the target area for peanuts. And by keeping some capacity
-- even limited capacity -- you continue to serve your audience ---
ALL of it. No, I'm sorry. The evidence at hand says that this is a
campaign on the part of the BBC, not merely a reaction to changing
realities on the ground. I do heartily agree with your last paragraph
(John Figliozzi, ibid.)
``The BBCWS uses statistics that are self-serving: If you drop your
shortwave availability, then fewer people *will* find you by
shortwave. Duh! (Richard Cuff)``
I don't completely buy this argument. BBCWS audience research finds
that the shortwave audience to a target area is declining and at that
point a decision is made as to whether there should be cutbacks. When
all is said and done they have to work to a budget. There has to be a
point when the audience is too low to justify retaining a service
particularly when the target audience has access to alternatives. If
they can get local FM relays on, fine, scale the shortwave back but I
would argue retain the capability in case the host government decides
to turn the FM relays off in times of crisis (Mike Barraclough, UK,
swprograms via DXLD) See also CHINA
** U S A. It`s not totally Bro. Scare and Xian Media Network on WRMI
7385 daytimes: Sunday March 20 I just caught the closing music and
singing ID for the début of Europa Radio International, at 2057 UT;
signal had deep fades to nothing, but peaking 10 over 9;
unfortunately, that was only slightly above the background noise
level. K=3. The only other two US stations on 7 MHz at this time, WBCQ
7415 and WJIE 7490 had roughly equal signal levels. No doubt WRMI is
much better daytimes in GA and AL (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING
DIGEST)
** U S A. WEWN spurs are back, this time surrounding 13615 around 2053
UT March 20: Found audio with carriers on approx.: 13590, 13598.3,
13606.7, 13624.3, 13632.7, 13640. Could be they are actually at the
usual multiples of plus and minus 8.32 kHz, but I was just estimating
with the YB-400 BFO on (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. THE FCC HAS PLACED A SIX MONTH FREEZE ON NEW LPFMS AND
TRANSLATORS
NET NEWS UPDATE as of FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 2005 Updated at 12:39p (PT)
The FCC has placed a six month freeze on new LPFMs and translators
after a coalition of groups complained that three TWIN FALLS, ID-based
companies were obtaining, then immediately selling the permits.
The Commission on THURSDAY (3/17) granted the emergency request filed
MARCH 9 by groups like the PROMETHEUS PROJECT, the FUTURE OF MUSIC
COALITION, and the UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST to freeze licenses and
investigate trafficking in licenses by RADIO ASSIST MINISTRY, INC.,
EDGEWATER BROADCASTING INC., and WORLD LINK RADIO, INC.
LPFM advocates complain that the companies are gobbling up frequencies
that can be used for local stations, instead selling the permits to
nationwide religious networks. Also proposed by the Commission are
several rules that would relax third-channel interference protection
to full power FMs (a change bitterly opposed by the NAB), grant LPFM's
primary status against translators, extend the time to build an LPFM
CP to 36 months, and allow for ownership of multiple LPFMs (with a
change in the local residency requirement). (allaccess.com via Brock
Whaley, DXLD)
FCC IMPOSES LICENSE FREEZE: AGGRESSIVE ACQUIRING AND RAPID RESELLING
OF LOW-POWER RADIO PERMITS PROMPTED COMPLAINTS
By Jube Shiver Jr. Times Staff Writer March 18, 2005
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-fcc18mar18,1,6661575.story?coll=la-headlines-business&ctrack=1&cset=true
WASHINGTON — Federal regulators issued a six-month freeze Thursday on
new low-power broadcast licenses after allegations that three Idaho
companies made $800,000 last year selling the government-issued
permits to religious broadcasters.
The move comes a week after a coalition of religious, community and
media-watchdog groups complained to the Federal Communications
Commission that Radio Assist Ministry Inc., Edgewater Broadcasting
Inc. and World Link Radio Inc. were selling permits soon after
acquiring them at no cost from the FCC.
Representatives of the three Twin Falls companies did not return calls
seeking comment. FCC officials declined to comment.
In its order instituting the freeze, the agency said that it would
consider whether to restrict both outside and multiple ownership of
low-powered facilities "in order to give local citizens a voice in
their community."
Coalition members had urged the FCC to stop granting permits for so-
called radio translator facilities, which relay satellite or radio
signals into local communities.
Critics allege that the Idaho companies, in aggressively acquiring and
brokering the licenses mostly to Christian groups, are depriving other
churches, community organizations, colleges and public broadcasters of
media access via low-power broadcast facilities.
A group of enterprising Christian groups — including offshoots of
Costa Mesa-based Calvary Chapel Church Inc. and Horizon Christian
Fellowship in San Diego — have used translator permits to build
something akin to a nationwide broadcast network.
Mike Stocklin, operations director of Calvary Satellite Network in
Twin Falls, said the nonprofit organization had 389 translator
licenses that it acquired from the FCC to distribute programming
nationwide. But he said the network had no relationship with the three
Twin Falls companies.
"We recognize, as of late, that there have been some other people that
have done some vast filings for these licenses," Stocklin said. "I
guess when there is some confusion in the marketplace it's best to
step back and sort things out."
Unlike many other congregations, the evangelical Calvary Chapel does
not have a central hierarchy. It allows potential pastors to apply for
permission to use the church's name and operate largely independently,
somewhat like franchisees. Experts say the Calvary churches playing
the most direct role in developing radio networks are Calvary Chapel
of Twin Falls and Calvary Chapel of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Of the 13,000 applications submitted for translator permits during one
week in March 2003, critics allege, nearly one-third were filed by the
Idaho companies and affiliates of Calvary Chapel Church.
The coalition in its petition said the Idaho companies sold 85 of the
permits to the religious broadcasters, which then built translator
facilities that retransmit broadcasts from Calvary Satellite Network.
The network offers "praise and worship music 24 hours a day to
communities throughout the United States and the world," according to
the church's website.
The churches, which have not been accused of wrongdoing, have been
moving into low-power broadcasting aggressively. Calvary Chapel of
Fort Lauderdale paid the Idaho companies more than $314,000 to acquire
22 translator permits.
Supporters of low-power radio — stations using 100 watts or less —
have told agency officials that they fear that the proliferation of
translator facilities will gobble up scarce airwaves that could be
used by low-power radio stations run by community organizations and
other nonprofit groups.
"If it's a choice between a local low-power FM facility providing
local programming and a translator bringing in a signal from hundreds
of miles away via satellite, the local programming should win," said
Harold Feld, a lawyer for the coalition.
http://billboardradiomonitor.com/radiomonitor/news/business/leg_reg/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000846226
FCC FREEZES FM TRANSLATOR CPS, MULLS "PRIMARY" STATUS FOR LPFMS
March 18, 2005 By Tony Sanders
The FCC released a special Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on the Low
Power FM service and, in doing so, imposed a six-month freeze on
granting ``all FM translator new station construction permits.`` The
freeze went into effect on March 17, when the Notice was released.
That six-month freeze strikes directly at the heart of the current
legal wrangling between eight public interest groups and three
religious groups over alleged trafficking in FM translators. In doing
so, the commission has bought itself some time to consider the issues
involved in that case.
The Commission’s Notice has asked for public comments on a number of
questions about improving the Low Power FM service—but one of the most
significant questions is whether LPFM applications should be given a
priority status over FM translators.
Currently, there is a sort of ``first come, first served`` aspect to
FM channel allocations for both FM translators and LPFMs. Under
current FCC rules, LPFMs and FM translators have equal status.
Depending on which service is permitted to apply for FM channels, and
assuming all paperwork is properly filed and legal, an application for
an FM channel --- either by an LPFM applicant or by an FM translator
applicant --- effectively eliminates that channel from future
availability by the other service. That relationship would change if
LPFMs were given a ``primary`` status over FM translators.
Another important question is whether LPFMs should continue operating
in the face of future construction of a full-service FM that would
exist two or three positions away on the FM dial (the second- and
third-adjacent channels). Currently, LPFMs must either shut down or
migrate to another, available channel if it were to cause interference
to a full-service FM`s protected signal contour.
Other questions asked by the FCC in its Notice cover ownership and
application rules, as well as various technical issues.
Commenters will have a 30-day window to file comments in the
proceeding. The start date for the comment window is the day the
Notice is published in the Federal Register. Reply comments will be
due within 15 days after that publication date.
The Docket number for this proceeding is MM Docket 99-25 (via Artie
Bigley, DXLD)
3/18/2005 --- FCC MAKES CHANGES TO LPFM, FREEZES INVASION TRANSLATORS
AND PROPOSES MORE...
LPFMs can move farther, eases changes in board members, freezes
translator grants and asks a myriad of questions about the future of
LPFM
The FCC has issued an Order on Reconsideration and a Notice of
Proposed Rulemaking for LPFM today. In the Order, the FCC has amended
the rules that expands the distance a station can move as a minor
change application. The Commission has also given the Media Bureau
more leverage to extend expiring construction permits, better
accommodate universal settlements and change board members through
waivers.
The FCC has also imposed a six-month freeze on all grants of
construction permits of translators filed in the 2003 "Great
Translator Invasion" window. In the NPRM, the FCC is interested in
hearing comments on various topics including:
* Changes in board members,
* Length of settlement windows,
* Successive licenses,
* Revisit ownership restrictions,
* Construction periods,
* Common time-share transmitters,
* LPFM's status to translators and
* Second and Third adjacent channel encroachments.
REC will be reviewing the Order & NPRM and plans to file comments. REC
encourages you to read the NPRM and then file your comments in the
FCC's Electronic Comments Filing System in MM Docket 99-25. Filing
deadline is based on when the NPRM is published in the Federal
Register. REC thanks everyone for their support and we look forward to
reading your comments in support of LPFM (REC Networks via DXLD)
** WALES [non]. After checking 7110 at 2130 UT Fridays for eight
weeks, Wales Radio International was heard at long last today 18
February [correct]. As previously reported there had been only a
carrier and no audio and earlier an Austrian domestic station had been
relayed. A carrier came on today at 2130 but there was no audio until
about 2136. A strong clear signal on 7110, parallel with 3955 which
was blocked at times by amateur radio traffic (Bernie O'Shea, Ottawa,
Ontario, [misdated and overlooked mail], DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** ZIMBABWE [and non]. (clandestine) SW Radio Africa. Very nice
reception on all three 25 metre band frequencies today, 16 March.
11845 (1600-1700 UT), 11705 (1700-1800 UT) and 11995 (1800-1900 UT).
Mentioned a few times the jamming on 3230 and 6145 and urged listeners
to try the 11 MHz frequencies. Thanks to Media Network Weblog (15
March) for the tip re the two new frequencies. Have picked up 3230
between 0400 and 0500 UT a few times this week. Fair reception; good
enough to understand the spoken word at times but lots of static. No
sign of any jamming here (Bernie O'Shea, Ottawa, Ontario, March 19, DX
LISTENING DIGEST)
11995, March 19, 1845, SWRadio Africa, (probably via Ascension [not
any more as already reported here]) - at the end of the transmission
the whole scheme was read hoping the listeners in Zimbabwe could hear
the programmes despite the attempts from the regime to disturb them
completely. 4-5 CB (Christer Brunström, Sweden, SW Bulletin March 20,
translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST)
ZIM 'JAMMING' SW RADIO --- News24 19/03/2005 14:02 - (SA)
http://www.news24.com/News24/Africa/Zimbabwe/0,,2-11-1662_1678845,00.html
Harare - A Zimbabwean media watchdog on Saturday claimed President
Robert Mugabe's government is interfering with transmissions from a
British-based radio station which employs a group of exiled Zimbabwean
journalists.
"Although the government has denied jamming SW Radio Africa's
broadcasts, a report by the International Broadcasting Bureau (IBB)
revealed that the jamming appears to emanate from Zimbabwe using
Chinese equipment," the Media Monitoring Project Zimbabwe said in a
statement.
Quoting the IBB report, the MMPZ said "one kilohertz tone is used to
jam the broadcasts and is continued till the transmitters become too
hot, then the noise is used to avoid overdriving the jamming
transmitters."
SW Radio Africa, known for its opposition to Mugabe's rule, operated
in a Harare hotel until it was shut down in 2002.
Former information minister Jonathan Moyo warned the station's
Zimbabwean staffers who relocated to London they would be arrested
when they return home.
MMPZ condemned the suspected jamming of SW Radio Africa's broadcasts
as "the latest deliberate assault on freedom of expression".
"This act of sabotage against SW Radio Africa's broadcasts,
particularly in the run-up to the March 31 general elections, is a
cynical attempt to deny the public their right to access information
sources of their choice," said the media watchdog.
SW Radio Africa has since announced new frequencies to which its
Zimbabwean listeners can tune in.
There are no private broadcast stations operating in Zimbabwe despite
the amendment five years ago of a broadcast law which gave a monopoly
to the government-run Zimbabwe Broadcasting Holdings.
Many Zimbabweans have turned to foreign-based radio stations for an
alternative to broadcasts by government-controlled radio and
television stations.
Three years ago the Zimbabwean government passed tough media laws
which have been evoked to shut down five independent newspapers. - AFP
(via David Pringle-Wood, Harare; Artie Bigley, Columbus OH, March 20,
DXLD) And follow-up the next day:
http://www.news24.com/News24/Africa/Zimbabwe/0,,2-11-1662_1679222,00.html
20 March 2005 --- Cape Town - Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe's
government is jamming broadcasts to Zimbabwe from a London-based pro-
democracy radio station, an independent media monitoring agency said
on Sunday.
The Zimbabwe Media Monitoring Project (MMPZ) said the government was
using sophisticated Chinese equipment to block out broadcasts from
Short Wave Radio Africa, run by a group of exiled Zimbabwean press
freedom activists.
The watchdog quoted a report by the Washington-based federal
International Broadcasting Bureau (IBB), which said the jamming
appeared to emanate from Thornhill, a military airbase and state
communications centre in the central city of Gweru.
Three jammers were being used to scramble the SWRA's three shortwave
frequencies, according to the IBB.
The British Broadcasting Corporations Monitoring Services also
confirmed the jamming operation. "The interfering signals were present
only for the period of the SWRA programming," said a spokesperson.
The station has resumed broadcasting on different frequencies.
SWRA began operating in 2001, after the supreme court abolished a
state monopoly on radio services. However, it was shut down after only
a few days and subsequently shifted to London. The government later
passed laws to ban private radio and television stations.
For three hours daily, the station broadcasts news and editorials
mostly on the country's political situation in a bid to provide an
alternative to the government-controlled public press and broadcasting
networks.
The three public radio stations and one television station publish
blatant ruling party propaganda and racist hate speech, according to
media freedom activists.
The government's jamming operations against SWRA were "a deliberate
assault on the freedom of expression" and denying the public the right
to information especially in the run-up to scheduled parliamentary
elections on March 31, according to the MMPZ.
In total 92% of the state election coverage is positive reporting on
the ruling party's campaign, while the opposition Movement for
Democratic Change received only 6% of all coverage, th MMPZ said in a
report last week.
The latest disruption followed earlier moves against independent
media. The campaign has seen a Dutch-based radio station in Harare
destroyed by a bomb and four independent newspapers banned, including
the independent Daily News which also suffered bomb attacks.
Scores of journalists, editors and media proprietors have also been
arrested under press-gag laws introduced in 2002, which prescribe a
sentence of up to two years for "working illegally as a journalist."
Visiting foreign correspondents have been almost totally banned, and
nearly all of the country's locally-based journalists reporting for
foreign media have been deported or driven out of the country.
The Zimbabwean government is among the world's 10 worst offenders
against press freedom, according to the New York-based International
Committee to Protect Journalists (via Artie Bigle; and Mike Terry,
dxldyg via DXLD)
IBB confirms reports of jamming of SWRA. 6145 & 3230 (1600-1900 UT)
jammed by a massive tone block jammer; two types in use.
3230 (0300-0500 UT) jammed effectively. The station will move to 3300
soon. MW 1197 (Lesotho) in the clear (0300-0500 UT)
SWRA can be heard in the clear on their new SW frequencies:
3300 (1600-1900 UT), 11845 (1600-1700 UT), 11705 (1700-1800 UT), 11995
(1800-1900 UT) (David Pringle-Wood, Harare, 1450 UT March 20, DX
LISTENING DIGEST)
Dear Glenn, At the opening today (Mar 20) of the evening broadcast of
SW Radio Africa at *1602:30 on 11845 kHz, Keith Parkinson announced
that to avoid jamming from Zimbabwe on three frequencies, they were
now using seven SW frequencies, besides 1197 kHz MW.
The broadcasts are at 0300-0500 and 1600-1900 UTC and these SW
frequencies are used at different times: 3230, 3300 (new), 4880 and
6145 kHz. Furthermore in the 25 metreband:
11845 kHz at 1600-1700 UTC.
11705 kHz at 1700-1800 UTC.
11995 kHz at 1800-1900 UTC.
The recent reports from DX-ers all over the world were highly
appreciated! On 11845 SW Radio Africa is booming in here in Denmark in
English with 54554 with S 9+30 dB, but some splashes from 11840 kHz.
Best 73, (Anker Petersen, Denmark, March 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
My humble advice to SW Radio Africa --- I listened to SW Radio Africa
again last night (19 March) at 1800-1900 on 11995. The jamming signal
was a 200 Hz rough tone. I would imagine that in Harare the SW Radio
Africa signals on 11 MHz might well get through the jamming as the
skip distance for the jamming is not right. This was always the
strategy of RFE/RL: use as high a frequency as possible to maximize
the skip distance (hence using transmitter sites in Spain and Portugal
to hit the USSR). The Soviets couldn't use sky wave jammers in the
European part of Russia as the jamming signals at such high
frequencies would just skip right over the target, so they were forced
to invest in a complicated and costly network of local ground-wave
jammers.
The Zimbabwean government won't be able to afford to do that. So, SW
Radio Africa, pick your frequencies as high as you can! The fact that
I could hear the jammer here in the UK means that the path is open
and so people in Zimbabwe will be able to hear Rampisham (or whatever
you are using in the UK). More grease to your elbow (as they say in
Ghana), (Chris Greenway, UK, March 20, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
11705, 1735-, SW Radio Africa, Mar 20. Very nice reception via
apparent Rampisham, UK, with English report on what needs to be done
for fair elections. Very punchy audio. Excellent modulation. I wish
all broadcasters would do the same. Despite an S7 signal, it sounds
far stronger. They read a letter from America (this might also be the
name of this segment of the program). Transmitter cut at 1759:30, and
immediately started on 11995, with even stronger signals. About an S9.
While on 11995, the announcer mentioned that the frequency was about
to change from 11705 to 11995, and to retune! Nice IDs followed. At
1804, an interview in a local language began and is still ongoing at
1810 (Walt Salmaniw, Victoria, BC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ###